MUA Hello, its been a while!

[kneeper]

Remember that your tissues are healing. You are really in the early days still of recovery in the first couple of months. Your quad tendon or muscle may be protesting too much activity or too little medication or both. @Josephine ?

 

[carabeara]

I'm going back to using a strap to help lift and move the leg for a while; it certainly helps keep the pain level down.

 

[Jamie]

I agree that you may be undermedicating. At this stage, it is perfectly normal to still be taking prescription pain medication on a set schedule. If that's what it takes to stay comfortable, do it! This is rough surgery and you really need to properly manage your pain. Remember that pain is also - aching, stiffness, burning, stinging, tightness, involuntary movement, restlessness in your leg muscles, and more. Be sure you are treating any of that you're having.

 

[TLH Photo]

This too shall pass. Keep taking the meds on schedule (don't chase the pain). We've all been there. I'm 10 weeks post-op tomorrow (Mon.) and I went through "buyer's remorse" around 4-6 weeks. Just hang in there it does get better with time and patience.


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart®

 

[carabeara]

I agree that you may be undermedicating. At this stage, it is perfectly normal to still be taking prescription pain medication on a set schedule. If that's what it takes to stay comfortable, do it! This is rough surgery and you really need to properly manage your pain. Remember that pain is also - aching, stiffness, burning, stinging, tightness, involuntary movement, restlessness in your leg muscles, and more. Be sure you are treating any of that you're having.

All of the above! I'm sitting at an open house today, resting it pretty well...and I'm medicated

 

[carabeara]

Hello, Bonies! I haven't checked in for a while...not because I've been overly busy, but because I was RESTING, taking it quite easy. The pain in front of my leg, at the bottom of my thigh/top of kneecap and UNDER kneecap, which flares when I use the thigh muscle to lift or move the leg, had gotten unbearable so I really had no choice.

Follow up with my surgeon...and HEY, he wasn't mad at me! Far from it, he seemed ok with my progress since the last visit, up to 95 degrees from 45 at the last visit...although he does want me to continue pain meds as often as needed and to start outpatient PT; that starts on Tues.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter, I'm icing up and watching HGTV (which aggravates me more than inspires me..insipid house hunters!) *evil laugh*

 

[Jamie]

Way to go, Cara Bear!!! Puttin' that BoneSmart mantra to work for you, aren't you!

 

[icep707]

Watch out for those OPT . There could be a rogue sadist in there as well. Be defensive and tell them not to bend your knee to pain . Tell them right from the start. Be confidant and in charge. In my opinion you should be taking Tramadol every 6 hours with tylenol. On schedule. OPT can benefit you. I went in there at about 60 degrees flexion and now im 120. They heat the knee before exercises, massage the knee area. Work you out , than ice with electric stimulation. I enjoyed riding the stationary bike and practicing my walk on the treadmill. Head up , heel to toe , heel to toe. Hopefully you get a compassionate therapist . Oh one exercise that helped me with my flexion , was to gently bend my knee on a stair. Stand in front of stair. Put your foot up on one and gently bend your knee forward and back . Best of luck to you . Iceman

 

[Jozilla]

Your improved ROM is great! Glad to see your OS is happy with your progress. Also helpful that he believes in pain management. Happy Easter and continued great recovery!


RTKR - 9th December, 2013

 

[carabeara]

OS actually said, in response to my statement that pt said he would be." On the contrary, I dont want YOU mad at ME if your ROM doesnt improve".
So, I will check back after appt and use your suggestions, Icep707

 

[carabeara]

Hello Bonies,

Ive been going to opt for about two weeks now, and I must say I sort of enjoy it. Rather, I don't hate it.

Mt pt is very attentive to how I'm feeling, ...and well my range of motion has not improved very much, my pain level certainly has. at least during the day I can sort of walk without a limp now. and I've been keeping very busy with work...so I guess we'll just keep working on getting my flexion back. I miss it so!

 

[carabeara]

5:30 am. I get very little sleep, usually wake up 2 to 3 x a night hurting. Im not gaining any ROM yet.

In fact, it feels more swollen and stiff :(

Maybe MUA is the answer?

 

[Celle]

Follow up with my surgeon...and HEY, he wasn't mad at me! Far from it, he seemed ok with my progress since the last visit, up to 95 degrees from 45 at the last visit

Are you still at 95 degrees? Don't despair. ROM can still continue to improve for up to a year, sometimes even more.

Give yourself a little longer. There's nothing to be lost by waiting a while longer and there's no time limit to when a MUA can be done . You could find that you don't need it after all.

 

[icep707]

Sounds like pain meds need to be taken as well as iceing and elevation . If I remember correctly , you have a history of scar tissue , im I correct ? Take meds after pt and before you go to bed. In the grand scheme of things , you are relatively early in recovery. So id be a little patient about a MUA. Whats is the imput you get from your OS ?? Well best wishes , Iceman

 

[carabeara]

I go back on Tues morning. I am fairly uncomfy today...so I medicated up and now sitting outside enjoying the beautiful evening

 

[carabeara]

2:38am. A new development; pain in non~tkr knee, swelling and moderate amount of discomfort.

Both are swollen. This doc visit should be fun. More later, pain med is at least making me groggy...

I could cry.

 

[carabeara]

Sounds like pain meds need to be taken as well as iceing and elevation . If I remember correctly , you have a history of scar tissue , im I correct ? Take meds after pt and before you go to bed. In the grand scheme of things , you are relatively early in recovery. So id be a little patient about a MUA. Whats is the imput you get from your OS ?? Well best wishes , Iceman

Its not yet 3 months post op. Today, I reached 93° by myself, and 100° with PTs help.

Doc said be patient, MUA is last resort but Im so tired of hiw limiting it is.

The nurses take FOREVER to respond to refill request, so today I had pt without any pain relief...I did try Bayer.
I had called on Friday so I would not be out on Sunday. Grrr.

Sleep is still impossible, Im amazed at how uncomfy it is still

 

[DanaDelight]

@carabeara I noticed you are in FL and you had a bad experience in a hospital. Would you mind sharing with me the hospital since I too am in FL. If you don't want to share the hospital's name then just let me know what area you had your surgery and then I can figure out if it is my hospital or not. I am awaiting my TKR scheduled for June 9th and my fingers are crossed that my hospital is not your hospital. I was going to PM you but I cannot do that since I have not posted enough to be granted that privilege. Thank you-Dana

 

[carabeara]

Well hello everyone...I hope life is treating all kindly

I posted quite a while back. Good lord its been a year?? Smh.

Well, I was SO optimistic that given enough time the knee would work itself out...here I am, 15 months later and I've really injured myself, via falling AT the gym, where I had JUST started to try to get some strength. The stiff knee bent past my ROM and ta da! Im.swollen and hobbled with pain just as if I had had an.mua today. (The last one was a complete waste of time).

I'm seriously getting very depressed with it all. My doc has since retired and the thought of starting all over again is too much to bear right now.

Am I just doomed to a future of limited activity, indeed, LIFE, because of this? Is there any hope?

-cB

 

[Roy Gardiner]

Hi. IMO what you've done is simply (as you say yourself) overstretched the soft tissues around the knee. They'll get better.

How was your ROM before? If not good, how were you working on it?